1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a still image trimming apparatus for trimming a still image in photographic or similar printing and, in particular, to a still image trimming apparatus which is capable of trimming the still image while monitoring a composite image comprising the still image and a trimming frame superimposed on the still image for setting a trimming range.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, with the arrival of a new media age, various kinds of AV (audio-visual) products have been developed and put into practical uses. Among these AV products, is a video signal reproducer for use in a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus to reproduce a still image, recorded on a rotary magnetic recording medium, on the display screen of a television, or similar display device which has attracted public attention because it is able conveniently to display the image.
An image display apparatus comprising a combination of a television and the above-mentioned type of video signal reproducer is characterized in that it can greatly stimulate the sense of vision of a TV viewer. For this reason, the image display apparatuses having the above characteristics are set up in large numbers in the streets, exhibition halls, and other public places in order to transmit various kinds of guide information, to perform a function as a medium of advertisement publicity or other similar functions.
Conventionally, in order to record onto the video signal reproducer of the above-mentioned type, a still image of photographic or similar printing which is one of a still picture, the image of the photographic print is first picked up and then a video signal corresponding to the still image obtained by such image pickup operation is recorded onto a recording medium.
As an example of an apparatus for creating such a video signal as which corresponds to a still image, a film video player can be illustrated which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 427,077 which corresponds to PCT-international publication No. WO 84/01485 (Japanese translated version No. 59-501768). In this film video player, a still image on a film disc is focused on the light receiving surface of a solid state color image sensor, on an X-Y translation stage, by means of an optical system of a variable image pickup magnifying power. An electric signal corresponding to the still image is then output from the solid state color image sensor. In the film disc video player, a video signal based on the thus output electric signal is created by a signal processing electronic circuit. The thus created video signal is further supplied to a television and the still image based on the video signal is then displayed on the screen of the television.
On the other hand, there has also been proposed, by the subject applicant or others, a multi-screen display apparatus aiming at supplying image information to a large number of people at a time in a place where a large number of people gather together. In this multi-screen display apparatus, the display screens of a plurality of display devices are arranged in a plane to thereby form a multi-screen as a whole, and the divisional images of a single still image can be each of the display screens simultaneously. Thus a single still image can be displayed on the multi-screen formed by the above-mentioned plurality of display screens. In each of the plurality of display devices forming the multi-screen display apparatus, there are video signal reproducers provided for displaying the respective divisional images, one video signal reproducer for each display device.
In the above-mentioned film video player, when partially trimming the still image in the film disc or similar storage medium to create a video signal, the whole still image to be displayed on the display devices must always be monitored for the trimming. Also, when the trimming is performed once, it is impossible to display the entire still image. For this reason, the optical axis of an optical system must be made to coincide, by an eye measurement, with the center of part of the still image in the film disc. Also, the image pickup magnifying power of the optical system must be adjusted to a predetermined value, which requires skill and time.
Also, when the still image is trimmed to thereby create the video signals respectively corresponding to the divisional images of the still image necessary to display the still image on the multi-screen, there must the possibility must be eliminated, that the main portions (for example, face and the like in a human figure) of the still image may happen to appear in a wooden frame supporting the display devices of the multi-screen display apparatus and in the non-display portions that are the peripheral edges of the respective display screens in which overscanning occurs. This results in the unnatural display of the still image on the multi-screen. That is, while monitoring the still image displayed on a television, an operator must take it into consideration that the main portions of the still image may appear in the wooden frame supporting the respective display devices of other multi-screen display apparatus and in the non-display portions of the respective display devices. Also, the optical axis of the image pickup optical system must be adjusted manually to coincide with the centers of the respective divisional images of the still image in the film disc so as to pick up the respective divisional images. However, these operations are, in fact, difficult to perform accurately.